Ronnie Lamont Goodman
Ronnie Goodman, a prolific painter and long-distance runner known in the Bay Area for uplifting the disempowered through his art and activism, died on August 7 , 2020 at the age of 60 of undisclosed causes. Born in Los Angeles, Ronnie took up drawing from an early age, inspired by comic books and the artists who lived and worked in San Francisco’s Lower Haight area, where he grew up. He returned to artmaking while incarcerated in San Quentin State Prison, where he became known for his compassionate portraits of fellow imprisoned people. “I am inspired by the beauty of this city and its diversity, balanced with the struggles of human despair,” he once said. “With my brush, I try to capture these raw emotions in painted images.”
An avid runner, Ronnie founded the San Quentin Marathon, a 26.2-mile race around the prison yard. Running later got him even more attention when he ran a half marathon and raised tens of thousands of dollars for Hospitality House.
Ronnie will be remembered for giving advice to aspiring artists: “Stay creative and stay focused and don’t try to overthink anything,” he would say . “Come from the heart and how you feel. Try to step back a few steps and listen to others’ opinions and reflect on it. But don’t stop, don’t ever stop creating. Just do it because you truly love what you’re doing. The rest will come.”
Despite the loss of Ronnie’s physical presence We know that God has assigned him to watch over us . May the fond memories of Ronnie bring you all comfort . Look back on all the good memories you were able to have and. smile at the fact that you were able to share these before he passed on to the. next lifetime.
Many of you reached out and wanted to contribute to his memorial and we really appreciate you all. We are so very grateful for every donation during this difficult time.
It would mean a lot if you could share
Ronnie ’s funeral fundraiser with others who knew him.
With so much love and many thanks!!
The Goodman Family
